Malo

"Where's the knitwear?" one editor wondered aloud as yet another elaborately beaded coat came down the runway. For three seasons, this famed Italian cashmere company has been staging fashion shows in New York; since 2006, the collection has been designed by Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi (who show their 6267 line in Milan)all of which demonstrates that some sort of rebranding is afoot.

Clearly, the line is centered not so much on yarn as on luxury, pure and simple. While many New York designers have gone on vicarious safari this season, the Italian duo took an imaginary voyage in another direction: to the Far East. They returned with both directly imported concepts (beautifully beaded Asian medallions) and more subtle translations (cheongsam-shaped hoodies, robe jackets, yarns with cores of pure gold). Silken "jog" pants and jumpsuits added timely sporty and sexy seventies references to the accomplished, if somewhat repetitive, doings.

There's no question these clothes are well made. And the duo obviously has a real feel for textureas their Rasta knits proved last season, and as skirts that looked as if they were constructed out of silken Chinese knots did this one. The ultimate destination of the brand, however, remains TBD.